The last time Crain's Detroit Business cited anonymous sources that Quicken Loans founder and serial Detroit investor Dan Gilbert was close to buying a building, his umbrella company, Rock Ventures, announced shortly after that it had indeed purchased One Woodward. Now, rumors are again swirling, this time around the 1001 Woodward building. The Detroit News spoke to that building's owner, who said the rumors are true, and that the two parties are in a due diligence phase for sale of the 25-floor building. If Rock Ventures does buy the 283,000-square-foot structure, it would bring the company's Downtown Detroit real estate portfolio to 16 buildings and about 2.9 million square feet of commercial space, along with three parking structures with 3,500 parking spaces.

Also in Downtown Detroit news, Birmingham-based Broder & Sachse Real Estate Services, Inc., announced Wednesday it has bought the five-floor, 80,000-square-foot building at 440 E. Congress St. in Downtown Detroit. The 90-year-old building, which was last renovated in the 1980s, is getting a face-lift as part of Broder & Sachse's plans. The building is partially occupied, with seven tenants including law firm Keller Thoma and Neighborhood Legal Services Michigan.

Title Source to hire another 375 positions in Detroit

And speaking of Rock Ventures, affiliated company Title Source said it is going to hire more than 400 new employees by March 2013. Most of the positions – 375 in all - will be based in Detroit, the company said in a release. Title Source, which specializes in title, appraisal and settlement services, announced in July that it was moving 1,500 workers into the Rock Ventures-owned First National Building in Downtown Detroit.

Economic leaders call Detroit's success crucial to the state as a whole

“I think it’s a fair statement to make that the city of Detroit, and its success long term, is critical to the state and its long-term success,” those were the words of Mike Finney, President & CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, at the